Universal coupling



Dec. 26, 1944. J, M, QMALLEY 2,365,772

` UNIVERSAL coUPLING Filed Feb. 10, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOSEPH M. ONALLlEY SMM@ Dec. 26, 1944. 1 M OMALLE( 2,365,172

UNIVERSAL C'OUPLING Filed Feb. 10, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,zz /9 32 a a az 33 9 z /6 6 4/ 777ml/ y, 40 J/ l,

JOSEPH N. OVALLEY A am@ Patented Dec. 26, 1944 l l i l v 2,365,77zf i UNIVERSAL coUrL'INo` Joseph OMalley, Worcest'erlMasss-` assignor to"l Morgan Construction Companys: Worcester, Massi, a corporation of Massachusetts i A(implicationFebruaryl 10, 1943,Y `Serialf N. 475,329

3 v Claims.

This invention relates; toA universal-',couplings, andmore particularly to l spindle ,couplings ofy the typeused in rolling-mills toconnectthepinion shaftswiththe rollnecks. Y

Rolling miILspindle couplings are vst lbjlected' to heavy .l torques, they must; operate with` considerable misalignment, and they are limited inl overall diameter to` Vavoid interference with `adjacent.;couplings.,l Many of'thesedevices as heref tofore constructed have been4 noisy in operation` and-subject to severe wear..l Many prior couplings have beenscomplicated and expensiveto manufacture. Changing of rolls or removalof the spindle has Abeen diiiicult andv timefconsumllg It is accordingly one object-ofl the invention to prov-ide a universal couplingnparticularly suitable for, drivingrolling mills and capable of transmitting heavytorque. under conditions of, appre-g ciable misalignment.

It is "a further object ofthe invention toprovide aerolling mill spindle coupling `Which will operate quietly andunder vsevere operatingconditionsthroughout along life of service.

Itis a; further.` object of the invention: lto provide, a rolling mill' spindle,couplingwhich willi be.. comparatively si-mple and inexpensivel to manufacture.

It` isa further objecteofsthe invention to pro-` vide; a rollingmill spindle couplingso constructed: andA arranged that the .rollscan easily, `bef changed orr thespindle removedin a simple and expeditious mannen` `With these and' other objects in View, as will bewapparent to those skilled inthe art,l the in. vention residesvin thefcombination of parts set `forth inf the specification andcovered by the Fig.-3 .is a section on the line 3 3r of Fig. 1; Flg.4 is a section on the line 4+4 oflFig.f-2; Fig. 5Yis Aa section -on the Aline,5--5 of Fig, 3; v Fig. 6 is a section on the` line 6-6 of Fig. 3; Figr- '7- isv a section` o-n the line 1 1 ofFig. 3; Fig. 8 isa section on the line 8-8 -of Fig,.3; Fig. 9 isA a section on the line 9-,-9 ofFig. 4; v Fig..10 isa :perspective view of a slipper formingla part of the mechanism; and

A Fig.; 1l is .adetail oiga ring', onasomewhat enlarged scale.;

endportion of the adjacent element l5.y This y The` embodiment illustrated comprises two rotatable elements onshafts l5 which' are `arranged in.. approximate alignment and project toward one` another, with their adjacent ends. spaced apart. One of thesefelements may be the neck'y of a rolling mill roll, and the other element may' be the pinion shaft which serves to kdrive the roll.` The end portion of veach of'these elements isprovided with a cylindrical outer surface i6 which is interrupted by yfour lonigtudinally extending grooves I1 equally spaced about. the circumierence. These grooves are deep, and the adjacent sides of adjacent grooves lie in parallel planes. The cylindrical surface |'6` is also interrupted bya comparatively shallow circumfera ential groove I9 located approximatelymidwayI ofthe length of the grooves Il.

. On each of therotatable elements l5 there is mounted a coupling member 2| having a cylindricaliouter suriace. Each member 2l has a socket 22k in its outer endshaped to receive the socket has a cylindrical inner surface which is interrupted by four longitudinally extending ribs, 23 `equally spaced circumferentially. Theseribs are shaped to twithin the grooves I1 at assembly, In `order to hold the member 2l in place during periods of operation, a screw 25 extends radially therethrough into the groove I9, the head of the screw beinglocated in a recess 26 in the coupling member-V so that it. will noty project above the cylindrical outer surface thereof.v

The inner portion of each coupling member .2| is provided with a central longitudinally extending cylindrical bore 28coaxial with the socket 22 and communicating therewith. The diameter ofthis bore is substantially equal tothe .distance between two diametrically opposed ribs 23 in the socket 22. The cylindrical surface of the bore 28 is interrupted by two longitudinally extendsite ends two enlarged heads 32 Which are preferably integral with the spindle. These heads are lpositioned within thev bores 28, and theyare preferably inv the `formof spheres having a di-V ameter substantially equal to that ofthese bores.`

y.- Or 1 each, head 32 there is. provided-,aboss or lug 33 which projects axially into proximity with the adjacent element to prevent appreciable axial displacement of the spindle. A heavy cylindrical pin 35 extends diametrically through each head 32, with the axes of the pins at right angles with the axis of the spindle. The end portions of the pins 35 extend into the grooves, 29, and on each of these end portions there is mounted a slipper 36. As shown in Fig. 10, each slipper has a cylindrical bore 3l for the reception of the pin 35 and an outer spherical surface 38, the radius ot this surface being substantially equal to that of the socket 22. These slippers have opposed parallel plane surfaces which fit closely against the sides of the grooves 29. Preferably, the pins 35 are a drive or press nt within the heads 32, and the slippers 36 are free'to swivel on the pins.

Provision is made for retaining grease within the couplings. For this purpose a pair of rings 40 are slidably mounted on the spindle 3|, and

each ring is connected to the inner end of the adjacent coupling member 2| by an annular boot 6| of a suitable flexible material, such as a grease-tight fabric, held in place by wires 42. For the purpose of assembly, each ring Il@ is made in two diametrically separable parts, as shown in Fig. 1l, with the ends of these parts interiitting. In the assembled mechanism the wires l2 will hold the two parts of each ring together.

The operation of the invention will now' be apparent from the above disclosure. The spindle 3| and its associatedparts will transmit power from one of the shafts I5 to the other smoothly and uniformly even though these shafts may be considerably out of alignment. Under such operating conditions there will be a continuous oscillating movement of the pins 35 within the slippers 36 and a continuous oscillating movement of the slippers 36 within the grooves 29. These movements involve a sliding action .between surfaces which are well lubricated and of ample area to avoid excessive concentrations of pressure thereon. These surfaces are entirely enclosed to retain the grease and prevent access of foreign matter. The annular coupling members 2| provide great strength to support the slippers, and they can be made appreciably smaller in outside diameter than the bifurcated members commonly used in prior which tend to spread apart when subjected to heavy torques.

`If a roll stand is to be taken out of service or dummied, the spindle coupling can easily be removed. It is merely necessary to remove the screws and slide the ycoupling members 2| inwardly toward one another to the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The rings 'lll will slide along the spindle 3|, and the sockets 22 will receive the spindle heads 32, the slippers being positioned in the channels between the ribs 23 as shown in Fig. 9. The coupling members 2| will now be clear of the roll neck and pinion shaft, so that the spindle and coupling members may all be lifted directly upward without interference. The invention also facilitates the changing of rolls in a roll housing of the open-top type, since it is merely necessary to retract from the roll neck the corresponding coupling member, whereupon the roll can be raised without interference with any of the parts of the coupling.

The invention has relatively Iew parts, and these are comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture. For example, each coupling member 2| can be made of cast steel, with the socket 22, bore 28 and grooves 29 formed in the casting. It is a very simple matter to machine the bore 28 and the grooves 29. In many cases it will be unnecessary to machine the walls of the socket 22, but this can readily be done if desired. It will also be noted that the rotatable elements I5 are of a comparatively simple shape which can be manufactured at relatively low cost.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A universal coupling comprising a coupling member having a socket in its outer end shaped to provide a central cavity and a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally extending channels, the coupling member also having a central cylindrical bore extending longitudinally from its inner end to the socket, the bore being interrupted by two diametrically opposed grooves which extend longitudinally in alignment with the said channels, a spindle having an enlarged head thereon in the form of a sphere having a diameter substantially equal to that of the bore,

'- the head being located within the bore, a pin extending diametrically through the head at right angles with the spindle axis, and two slippers mounted on the opposite ends of the pin and located within the respective grooves, the said cavity being of suflicient size to receive the head, and the said channels being of sufficient width to receive the slippers as the coupling member is moved inwardly over the spindle.

2. A universal coupling comprising a coupling member having a socket in its outer end with the inner surface thereof interrupted by four longitudinally extending ribs equally spaced Icircumferentially to form two pairs of opposed channels, the coupling member also having a central cylindrical bore extending longitudinally from its inner end to the socket, the bore being interrupted -by two diametrically opposed grooves which extend longitudinally in alignment with two of the said channels, a spindle having an enlarged head thereon in the form of a sphere couplings,

having a diameter substantially equall to that of the bore, the head being located within the bore, a pin extending diametrically through'the head at right angles with the spindle axis, and tw-o slippers mounted on the opposite ends of the pin and located within the respective grooves, the diameter oi the 4bore being substantially equal to the distance between each pair of diametrically opposite ribs, and the width of the channels being substantially equal to the Width of the grooves, whereby the socket will receive the head and the channels will receive the slippers as the coupling member is moved inwardly over the spindle.

3. A universal coupling comprising a generally cylindrical coupling member having a socket in its outer end with a cylindrical inner surface interrupted by four longitudinally extending ribs equally spaced circumferentially to form two pairs of opposed channels, the coupling member also having a central cylindrical bore extending longitudinally from its inner end to the socket, the bore being interrupted by two diametrically opposed grooves which extend longitudinally in alignment with two of the said channels, the bottom of each groove being a cylindrical surface with a radius substantially equal to that of the socket, a spindle having an enlarged head thereon in the form of a sphere having a diameter substantially equal to that of the bore, the head being located Within the bore, a cylindrical pinl to the distance between each pair of diametrically opposite ribs, andthe width of the channels being substantially equal tothe width of the grooves, whereby the socket will receive the head and the channels will receive the slippers as the coupling member is moved inwardly over the spindle.

JOSEPH M. OMALLEY. 

